Well, I ended up NOT seeing the new Harry Potter movie last night after all. Reason: I was having too much fun at the National Cartoonists Society Christmas party. :-)

I finally got to meet Patricia Storms in person:

As I've mentioned before, I'm a big fan of her Booklust blog. In person, Patricia is just as wonderful as she is in her blog: friendly, witty, articulate. Hey, and she's going to be on CBC Radio's Cross Country Check-Up on Sunday, talking to Rex Murphy about some of her favourite books.

I was a bit nervous, walking into the party room at the Pauper's Pub, not knowing anyone. I had a brief impulse to flee...but it was too late to chicken out and besides, I could see a bowl of chocolate on the bar.

I needn't have worried. Not surprisingly, cartoonists are a warm and welcoming bunch. Their partners and spouses, too! I'll be highlighting some of the members of the NCS Canadian chapter in upcoming Blatherings. One couple I especially enjoyed meeting, for example, was cartoonist Brian Fray and his wife Chris, a stained glass artist. I also enjoyed meeting their son John, an actor currently touring with a production of Cinderella; he plays both Prince Charming and an Evil Stepsister. All three have their black belts in karate (!).

All party attendees were encouraged to draw something; markers and a stack of paper were provided in a corner of the room. Very cool to see the cartoons accumulate on the wall above the bar (see left side of photo above). HOLY COW, some of these insta-cartoons blew me away; the level of talent in that room was pretty intimidating for a newbie cartoonist like myself. Inspiring, too.

And I wasn't the only writer at the party! I enjoyed chatting with Sarah Lazarovic, who is another freelance writer also interested in illustration and cartooning.

Other highlights of the party for me included:

- The slideshow presentation of Christmas greetings from other members of the National Cartoonists Society around the world, put together by cartoonist Sandra Bell-Lundy (who is now chair of the Canadian chapter of the NCS). Do check out Sandra's Between Friends site, especially the cartoon from yesterday (Friday) with its Lord of the Rings reference. :-D "Between Friends" now appears internationally in over 100 newspapers such as the Detroit News, the Chicago Sun, the Toronto Star, the Milwaukee Journal and the Seattle Times. Coffee, Tea and Reality is available in bookstores now.

- The raffle, because I won something! The Hi and Lois Sunday Best collection, signed by Brian & Greg Walker as well as Chance Browne. Hi and Lois was created in 1954 by Mort Walker (whose autograph I already have) and Dik Browne, and passed to the next generation in the 1980s; Brian and Greg, sons of Mort Walker, and Chance is Dik Browne's son.

- Christmas gift exchange. This was voluntary: if you wanted to participate, you had to bring something comic-related. Names were put into a hat and when your name was drawn, you picked whatever gift you wanted; all gifts were wrapped and without tags. I contributed a large-size Moleskin sketchbook, and was delighted when Bob Kain ended up with it. I got a wonderful Get Fuzzy: Groovitude collection by Darby Conley, contributed by Sandra Bell-Lundy.

- Talking with Deborah and Derrick Peyton. Deborah Peyton (see photo of Deborah and me to the right) is a New Brunswick cartoonist who does custom cartoons and illustrations and is also the creator of "Day to Day", a cartoon that appeared in newspapers throughout Eastern Canada and Florida. She has two 'Day to Day' collections distributed by Thomas Allen and Son Ltd. of Toronto, as well as a line of merchandise.

- Brief conversation with two people at the party who almost had me convinced they were just crashing the event for fun...until they confessed that they work for Torstar syndication services. :-D :-D

- Meeting illustrator Andrea Wayne von Königslöw and author/illustrator Linda Hendry, both of whom know my sister. I had several people come up to me at the party, in fact, saying, "By the way, are you related to Ruth Ohi?"

Some people may think blogs a waste of time, but I've found mine to have more than repaid any effort I've put into it. Not only have I found Blatherings (and Inkygirl!) a much-needed creative outlet, but I've made so many new friends and work contacts, gotten both writing and drawing assignments, and been introduced to new and wonderful experiences solely because of my blogs.

Thanks SO MUCH, Patricia, for inviting me to this party!

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